Delivery mechanism for coating-machines



A. 1. FORD.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR COATING MACHINES.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1915.

I INVENTOR A TTOR/V E V A. 1. FORD.

DELlVERY MECHANISM FOR COATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, I915- Patentea Aug. 8, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. M M T T n A. J. FORD.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR COATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1915.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- l/V l/EIV TOR Wyf 1 WA TTOR/VEY A. 1. FORD.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR COATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 21. 1915.

l 1 93,772; I Patented Aug 8, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A. J. FORD.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR COATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

ALBERT, 3'. FORD, OF YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FUCHS & LANG MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF YORK.

weaves.

Specification 6f Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed October 27,1915. Serial No. 58,230.

To all whpm it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements' 'in Delivery Mechanism for Coating- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to delivery mechanisms'and relates particularly to a delivery mechanism for a coating machine in which sheetsof metal or other material stiff enough to be operated upon are coated on the lower side or on both sides with ink, paint, lacquer, varnish, oil or other coating liquid.

An important object of my invention is to effect the handling automatically of the freshly coated sheets until dry without mar- I ring or leaving marks upon the coating.

Other more particular objects and advan- 1 tages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes means for bowing or arching the freshly-coated sheet upward and carrying it away in that condition supported upon opposite edges only.

My invention further includes features of construction and combinations of partsas will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the delivery mechanism embodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of a delivery mechanism and its. adjuncts, including, inoutline, a coating machine for-coating both sides of the sheets, and parts of a drying furnace. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the delivery mechanism with parts omitted, as indicate by thgline 2-2 1n Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a longit dmal central vertical section ona plane in .icated by the line 3-,3of Figs. 4 and 5 as viewed from the -front and from the left respectively. Fig. 4 is a plan of the delivery mechanism. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on a plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 as viewed from the right. Fig. 6

is an enlarged perspective of a portion of one of the carrier belts.

The coating machine, illustrated in side elevation in Fi 1, coats the sheets on both the upper and lower sides, and the delivery neighbor. ,1s shown as carrying three of the star wheels mechanism forming the subject of the present invention takes these freshly coated sheets away for drying free from marks, scratches or other defacements on the finished product.

The coating machine appearing in Fig. 1 of the drawings is of the same general construction as that "disclosed in my Patent No. 802,745 of October 24, 1905, excepting that the fountains and fountain rollers are duplicated below so that the coating machine shown in Fig. 1 coats the sheets upon the lower as well as upon their upper sides.

If sheets freshly coated on their lower sides were received upon and taken'away by means of the ordinary or usual delivery means commonly employed for sheets coated only on theirupper sides, the fresh coating would be ruined. In carrying out my present invention, the freshly coated sheets are not touched upon either of their coated sides, excepting on the lower side by very small or sharp points only when the coating is freshest or wettest, so that no imprint is left, and after that the coated sheets are supported and taken away to be dried in an upwardly arched condition by reason of thrust applied to their opposite edges only.

The wet freshly coated sheets, such as 1, as they come flat from the coating machine, coated on both sides, are first received in their flat condition upon a bed of star wheels 2, the sharp ends only of which su port the sheet 1 on its lower just coated si e.

The sheet receiving star wheels 2 are shown as of uniform diameter and are fixed, by means of hubs or collars 3, on a series of parallel transverse horizontal shafts 4, shown as five in number. The axes of all the star wheel shafts 4 are in the same series, appearing at the right in Figs. 1,

2, 3 and 4, is somewhat closer to its next Each of the transverse shafts 4 2 excepting the last two shafts 4, at the right, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, have only two star wheels 2 fixed on each shaft, one such star wheel on each side of the machine, which latter star wheels because. of the nearness of these two shafts, overlap each other as shown, the rest of the star wheels 2 being shown as arranged in alinement.

The last two more closely spaced shafts 4 at their middle have successively larger star wheels 5 and 6 respectively loosely rotatively mounted thereon, the loose star wheel 5 being of slightly greater diameter than the fixed star wheels 2 and the loose star wheel 6, .at the right, Figs. 3 and 4, being of slightly larger diameter than the other loose star wheel 5, as clearly appears in Figs. 8 and 4. The two rotatively loose star Wheels 5 and 6 are held in place axially on their shafts by collars 7 fixed on the shafts.

The transverse shafts 4 are all geared together to be rotated in the same direction at the same speed, by means of similar or uniform sprockets 8 fixed on the ends of the star wheel shafts 4, and a drive chain 9 engaging all these sprockets on their upper sides. The drive chain 9 passes around a driving sprocket 10 carried by a lower cross shaft 11. The chain 9 is held down upon the small sprockets 8 by an idler 12, and is further maintained in proper driving relation by a lower second idler 13. The direction of rotation. of the driving sprocket 10, and

viewed'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that the pcripheral movement of the tops of the star wheels 2 will be from left to right as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 4, so as to carry the freshly coated sheet away from the coating machine on the points of the star wheels. When the freshly coated sheet, as it rides on the star wheels 2, successively encounters the larger star wheels 5 and 6,-it will be slightly bent or bowed upward at the middle of its advancing end. The advancing sheet will move freely over the larger star wheels 5 and 6 by reason of these larger star wheels being rotatively free on their shafts; whereas if they were rotatively fixed they would scratch the sheets by reason of their then having a greater peripheral speed than the smaller star wheels 2. 7

Carrier devices abutting against the op: posite lateral edges of the sheet are provided for taking the sheet, having an initial upward bend or arch, from the bed of star wheels, and gradually increasing the upward arching of the sheet, while supporting the arched sheet at its edges only by thrusting against these edges. Converging carrier belts 14, which form converging guideways are provided with sheet-supporting members shown as substantially L-shaped clips or brackets 15'which frictionally seize the edges of the advancing initially arched sheet 1 as it is carried along by the star wheels 2, the opposite edges of the arched sheet engaging in or resting in the angle of the clips l5 which thrust against such edges.

'As the advancing coated sheet moves along between the converging belts 14 it will be I arched upward more and more until it can be safely' supported by its edges alone upon which it will rest in upwardly arched concommon dition. In the construction shown in the drawings, the carrier belts 14 are of leather and the clips 15' are of bent strip metal and are shown as riveted to the belts 14, as most clearly appears in Fig. 6.

The sheet carrying bands 14 are carried each by a loose pulley 16 and a driven pulley 17, all these pulleys having vertical axes. The driven pulleys 17 are operated from the lower cross shaft 11 by means of short upright shafts 18 and two pairs of bevel gears 19, as appears in the drawings, Fig. 5 more particularly. The linear speed of travel of the carrier belts 14 is substantially the same as the peripheral speed of the star wheels 2. Angle bars 20 form reinforcing guides for the carrier belts 14 at their adjacent sideswhere these belts are in thrusting engage-.

ment with the edges of the coated sheets.

After the wet freshly coated sheets leave the bed of sharp pointed star wheels they are supported in arched form by thrust of the clips 15 against their opposite edges only and nothing touches either of their coated sides or faces. The tiny holes in the "very wet coating produced by the star wheels, close up immediately because of the still fluid condition of the coating. The coated sheets are thus held in upwardly arched condition supported on their edges until thoroughly dried, as will presently appear.

A conveyer is provided which is cooperative with the converging carriers and which forms parallel guidewaysfor taking the upwardly arched coated sheets from the converging carrier belts 14 and conveying these sheets away in the upwardly arched condition supported at their edges only until thorough dryinghas taken place, for example, by thus conveying the coated sheets through a heated chamber or furnace. The

. conveyer comprises a pair of conveyer chains 21, which may be of a common or any suitable construction, these chains being tied together by occasional cross bars 22, as is in conveyers. These conveyer chains 21, however, at suitable intervals, are provided with angular brackets 23 in the angle of which the opposite edges of the upwardly arched coated sheets are received and supported, the sheets having no other support and still being in the upwardly arched condition finally produced by the converging carriers 14. The sheet-conveying brackets 23 are shown as arranged in pairs and the brackets of each pair are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to that of the closest approach to each other of' the converging carriers 14, which deliver the upwardly arched sheet to the conveyer. The coated sheets are dried while carried along by theconveyer and held by their edges only in the upwardly arched condition produced by the converging car riers 14, and in Fig. 1 a furnace 24 is indicated for effecting the drying, after which the coated and dried sheets may be disposed of as desired.

The conveyer chains 21 are shown as carried by sprocketwheels 25 at the front of the furnace 24 and they may be similarly supported at the rear. Suitable guides 26 are preferably provided for the conveyer chains 21.

The conveyer may be driven in any suitable way from-a source of power. In the construction shown in the drawings the coating machine is driven from the conveyer by means of a pair of spur gears 27, a sprocket wheel 28 and a chain belt 29; and the lower cross shaft 11 0f the delivery mechanism is driven from the coating machine by means of a chain belt 30 and driving sprocket 31 on the cross shaft 11.

The frame of the delivery mechanism is preferably bolted or otherwise rigidly se cured to the frame of the coating machine, as indicated in the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 4:. The conveyer is shown as having aseparate detached frame.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a delivery mechanism for a coating machine, means thrusting against opposite edges of a coated sheet for supporting such sheet in an upwardly arched condition and moving it along, such means comprising sheet-supporting members, and mechanism for imparting traveling movementto such members.

2. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising means for initially upwardly arching a coated sheet, and means thrusting against opposite edges of the sheet for further upwardly arching the sheetand for supporting-and moving the sheet along in the upwardly arched condition. g

3. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising means for initially upwardly arching a coated sheet, and means for gradually pushing toward each other opposite edges of the sheet as it travels along for further upwardly arching the sheet so as to support it by its edges only in the upwardlyarched condition.

4:. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising means for initially upwardly arching a coated sheet, and carrier devices abutting opposite edges of the sheet'and forming converging guideways so that the sheet is further upwardly arched and supported at its edges only as it is carried along.

5. In a delivery mechanism for a coating upon its freshly coated side, and carrier devices abutting opposite edges ofthe sheet for supporting such sheet in an upwardly arched condition and moving it along supported only by the thrust of the carrier. devices against its edges.

6. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising a sheet-receiving device having a plurality of upwardly projecting points some of which at the middle project above the others for initially upwardly arching a freshly coated sheet received upon such points, and carrier devices abutting opposite edges of the sheet and forming converging guideways for further upwardly arching the sheet and supporting it at its edges only as it is "carried along by the carrier devices.

7 .'A delivery. mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising a sheet-receiving device having a plurality of upwardly projecting points some of which at the middle project above the others for initially upwardly arching a freshly coated sheet received upon such points, and converging carrier belts abutting and supporting opposite edges of the sheet for gradually drawing such opposite edges toward each other so that the sheet is further upwardly arched and supported by its edges only as it is carried along.

8. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising a bed of star wheels for receiving a freshly coated sheet and supporting it upon its coated side, and devices for taking the sheet from such bed and arching it upwardly so that it is supported only at opposite edges.

9. In a delivery mechanism for a coating :machine, a bed of positively driven star wheels for receiving and moving forward a freshly coated sheet with its coated side sup ported. on the star wheels, and a loosely mounted star wheel of larger diameter for upwardly arching the sheet.

10. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising a bed of sheet-receiving star wheels at least one of which at the middle in the path of travel of the sheet projects above the others for initially upwardly arching a freshly coated sheet as it moves along with its coated side supported on the star wheels, and carrier devices abutting opposite edges of the sheet and forming converging guideways for further upwardly arching thesheet and supporting it at its edges only as it is carried along by the carrier devices.

11. A delivery mechanism for av coating machine, such mechanism comprising a series of transverse shafts, means for rotating the shafts in the same direction, a plurality of star wheels fixed on each shaft forsupport only, I

12. In a delivery mechanism for a coating machine, carrier devices abutting against opposite edges of a sheet and forming converging guideways so that the sheet is supported at its edges only in an upwardly arched condition and is further upwardly arched as it is carried along by the carrier devices.

18. In a delivery mechanism for a coating machine, in combination, a pair of carrier belts, guides therefor, and angular brackets on each carrier belt for engaging opposite edges of an upwardly arched sheet and carrying'it along in upwardly arched condition with the edges of the sheet resting in the angles of and thrusting against the brackets.

14. In a delivery mechanism for a coating machine, in combination, a pairof converging carrier belts, angular guides therefor, and substantially L-shaped bracket clips on each carrier belt and engaging opposite edges of a sheet so that the sheet is supported at its edges only in an upwardly arched condition and; is further upwardly arched as it is carried along with its edges resting in the inner angles of the said clips.

15. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising means for initially upwardly arching a coated sheet, carrier devices abutting opposite edges of the sheet and forming converging guideways so that the sheet is further upwardly arched and supported at its edges only as it is carried along, and a conveyer forming parallel guideways for taking the upwardly arched sheet from the carrier devices and' conveying it away in the upwardly arched condition supported. at its edges only for drying.

16. A delivery mechanism for a coating machine, such mechanism comprising a series of transverse shafts, means for rotating the shafts in the same direction, a plurality of star wheels fixed on each shaft for supporting and moving along a freshlycoated sheet with its coated side resting on the star wheels, a star wheel of larger diameter loosely mounted for rotation on the middle of the last shaft in the series for impartingan initial upward arch to the moving sheet, converging carrier belts for taking the sheet from the star wheels and gradually drawing its opposite edges toward each other so that and movement-imparting means for moving the sheet along while it is thus supported in upwardly arched condition by the sheetsupporting means.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

ALBERT J. FORD. 

